1. "It does not seem to be the case that 'esoteric' texts contitute a category in ancient Mesopotamian literature. The presence or absence of such terms as (...)"Let the learned instruct the learned, the ignorant may not see!" or "Secret of the Great Gods" in the colophons of tablets is no criterion, since texts which can hardly be regarded as esoteric sometimes bear them. These comments may simply indicate a scholarly pride in the value of literature and knowledge. While one need not doubt that certain texts or doctrines were only understood or held by a select few, it seems probable that many texts which apppear 'esoteric' to a modern reader were understood by ancient scholars" (Livingstone, Mystical and Mythological Explanatory Works of Assyrian and Babylonian Scholars, Oxford: Clarendon 1986, p.1)

2. "I do not believe that this formula has a specific reference to our tablet but merely expresses the tendency of the scribes to keep the knowledge of their arts within their own circles" (O. Nuegebauer, Astronomical Cuneiform Texts, Princeton, 1955, p.12)

3. "I don't believe they knew about ascension, despite the tale of (Etana) going to heaven on an eagle. Gilgamesh is not as profound as the Odyssey." (Dan Merkur, private communication on being asked to comment on S. Parpola's The Assyrian Tree of Life - which we will study in a later session.)

Why so much hesitancy, or even reistence? Three reasons:

1. The whole Ball of Wax

2. The invasion of the Flak-oids

3. Misunderstanding "esoteric" - something does not have to be incomprehensible to be esoteric, nor secret to have oaths of secrecy taken about it

1. mythological/cosmologiucal/speculation (text 1) i.nam.gis.hur.an.ki.a
2. temurah, gematria, notariqon (texts 1,2) ditto, Zababa exposition
3. alchemy (text 3)
4. mystery rituals, inspiration (texts 4,5) secret Ishtar, inspiration for Erra

Words describing secre knowledge:

Examples:

Perhaps Akkadian qabu is related to Hebrew qannal(ah); qabu means "recite" or "a recitation."

TEXT I (portion of i.NAM.gis.hur.an.ki.a "(Word?) of the corresponding things of Heaven and the Underworld" - transcription for comparison with copy)

 
1)  I  inbu sin assu anu imbu sumsu gabbi 
    AN AN NE GIS GI kilallan tamartu 
    ud.I.kam uskaru anu 
2)  I ab.kar sin appa arhu littu arhu littu 
    maslu kara ganatenu karu tapala gana
    a.sa maslu agu ud.7.kam kalit ea
3)  I(....) sin bel purusse esu 30 2 eni bel
    30 a.ra 30 15 aparu agu  ud.15.kam
    kippattu enlil
4)  (...)enlil talim ea nannu SES talim SES
    ID naru nara enlil
5)  ... mu.didli suen.na.ke
6)  ...ilu restu abi ilani		60	anu
7)  ...U gasir re'u su su kissat
    sar kissati				50	enlil
8)  ...sar apsi bel naqbi		40	ea
9)  ...imbu bel purusse arhi		30	sin		
10) ..U en bel dipari kippatu ud	20	samas
11) ...zunni u UB rigmu		6	adad 
12) ................................	10	bel
                              			marduk
13) .....................		15	istar
                           			belet
						ilani
14) .. ku bel kakki sa kima
    sumisuma nabu enlil 		50	ninurta
						mar
						enlil
15) ... PA AD an.ki an an.ta ki.ta
    sar e.de en 600			11	nergal
						sakkan
16) ... tab 2 10 a.ra 2 20 tappe 20 	10	gibil
						nusku
17) ... same sa me 				uras
						banu
18) an giri				ki	
19) nishu i.NAM.gis.hur.an.ki.a
    qati
20) ...nisrti apkalli la mudu la immar
21)  tuppi nabuzuqupkena mar marduksumiqisa
    tupsarri liplipi gabbilanires rab tupsare

Notice that the tablet has 21 lines (21 is a sacred name of Anu). Nabuzuqupkena was a scribe who lived approximately 760-680 BCE, and would have been perhaps the "chief scribe" under Sargon II and Sennacherib. Sargon II has pradmined the most famous example of cuneifrom gematria: "I made the length of the wall (of Nineveh) to correspond to the value of my name: 16,280." This puzzle has not yet been solved satisfactorily, despite 3 attempts (including my own).